Destiny Calling
by Chelsea Jay
Summary: Bella reminisces over her past and stumbles upon a new path. Past Bella/Edward, Bella/Jake. Underage Drinking.


**Word Count: 901**  
**Prompt: (Photo of a girl drinking)**  
**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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Bella was done. She was tired of being abandoned by the people who promised her forever. She was tired of falling apart at the seems, sulking in her bedroom, waiting for somebody new to come and save her. Throwing her sheets back, she got out of bed and changed into a set of clean clothes. Walking down the stairs, she raided her father's liquor cabinet and found a fifth of vodka. She'd never drank before, but she figured the situation called for it. To her, this night was a celebration. She would finally be letting go and moving on, learning from her past mistakes.

Checking the clock in the kitchen Bella sighed. It was eight pm and Charlie would be home in a few hours. She knew should probably stay home but she needed to getaway and think things through. Grabbing her jacket and keys, she made her way to her car with the liquor and set off for First Beach. Arriving at her destination, she found a spot along the edge of the beach watching the waves. Twisting the cap off the bottle, she took a sip, wincing at the burn as it went down. Groaning, she set the bottle down and let her mind wonder over the events that took place since she moved to Forks.

Edward had been immediate. She loved him like she loved no other. Looking back on things, she felt stupid. He knew everything about her but in truth, she knew little about him. It seemed that his whole world had revolved around her. He was always there twenty-four hours a day, seven days of the week. She'd rarely had any time to herself. She'd let him control her. She'd become his obsession and honestly, that scared her. She'd been willing to give up everything including her family for a man that was giving up nothing for her. And for what? Something he deemed as love? According to him, he didn't even have a soul so how could he know a thing about love.

Then there had been Jacob, her child hood friend. Being with him had made her forget about the heartbreak Edward caused but it also helped her see him when she was high on adrenaline. She'd felt bad now, knowing that in a way she used him. Of course she loved him, but more as a brother or best friend. And for Jake, that would never be enough. She knew it, but she ignored and continued to lead him on. Why? Because in a way she had become his obsession too. His world ad come to revolve around her just as Edward's had. And she thrived on the attention.

It was wrong, she now knew. To want that kind of attention, to use people the way she did. But at the time it didn't matter, because somebody cared and maybe that was the issue. She had grown up too soon. That old soul her mom joked about had been forced onto her. She'd spent so long taking care of people that she wanted someone to take care of her. Sighing, she grabbed the bottle and took another drink. She wouldn't allow herself to be that girl anymore. She didn't want to be someone's obsession, she just wanted to be loved.

Licking her lips, she drank a bit more of the bottle and set it by her side. Laying back, she looked at the sky and smiled. She hadn't realized she'd dozed off until she felt somebody shaking her. Opening her eyes, they locked with the ones above hers. She felt drawn to those eyes, like she belonged to whoever owned them. Squeezing her eyes shut, she shook her head and reopened them to find the person still standing over her.

"Uh, who are you and what are you doing here?" She asked pushing herself up.

"Jared." He taking a step back to give her some space. "You do know that you're not supposed to be drinking on the beach at this time of night don't you? Are you even old enough to be drink?" He replied.

Bella grimaced and turned way from him muttering, "I don't think that really any of your business."

"Actually it is," he said grabbing the bottle from beside her.

Bella's head snapped in his direction as she glared at him, "Excuse me? I don't see any badges. How about you go bother someone else."

Jared cocked his head and rose an eyebrow at her. "Or how about you give me your name and let me take you on a date then maybe I won't tell the anybody that I found you here."

Bella frowned and crossed her arms, "I can give you a name but the date is up for debate. I mean, how do I know that you won't try to kill me?"

"I could have done that while you were sleeping," he returned.

Bella smiled, 'Well I guess you missed your chance."

Standing up she grabbed the bottle out of his hand and turned to look him in the eye.

"My name is Bella and I'll see you around." She said then made her way back to the car.

Looking back in his direction, she started the car and headed home. Jared had been cute and he didn't seem off, so maybe she could give him a chance. She just hoped she'd see him again.


End file.
